It was named after the shape that the glacier takes around it: a clear half moon. In 1994 Italian Ermanno Salveterra made the first ascent via a route he christened Rubio y Azul.

Photos (click to enlarge)

El Mocho y Aguja Medialuna -

overview

Aguja Medialuna - east face

1. Rubio y Azul

350m 6c

Ermanno Salveterra, 3/1/1994.

Description. Follows a logical line on good granite throughout. Climb a red colored dihedral to reach the summit of the first pillar. Then an easy crack on the left that leads to the big chimney and an elegant layback crack that is the crux of the climb. The initial dihedral is often wet, but one can always climb the spur immediately left which Italians first climbed during an early attempt to this tower.

History. Salvaterra dedicated the route to Argentine Horacio Bresba, who died while descending from Cerro Fitz Roy in early 1994. The name refers to his blond hair and blue eyes. Ermanno soloed the first ascent and repeated the route solo a second time, hoping to climb to the col of Patience. He bivied in the summit but bad weather forced him to retreat the next morning. It wasnt until many years later in 2005, that this traverse was completed, when Andre Grmovšek and Silvo Karo climbed the route and link up they called Slovene Sit Start.

Approach. Niponino to Noruegos.

Descent. Via the same route for the first two rappels, then straight down, skiers right.

Description. Climbs a discontinuous crack system right of Rubio y Azul to reach the obvious shoulder half way up. It involves some sporty free-climbing protected by two bolts and one pendulum to reach a second crack.

History. This was done long before Rubio y Azul was climbed. Today it can be climbed as an alternate start to Rubio y Azul, although the original Salvaterra line is far more appealing.

Bibliography. AAJ 1989 p. 178.

1.2 Variation

In 1987 Italians Monica Malgarotto and Maurizio Venzo climbed 9 pitches following a line left of what later became Rubio y Azul. They retreated 100 meters below the summit of Medialuna.

In early 2007 Argentines Ariel Martorelo y Horacio Gratton climbed the lower five-pitches of the Italian attempt as a variation to Rubio y Azul, encountering difficulties to 6c.

The second pitch has a couple of bolts in a wide, flake like crack. This line is the an easier alternate start to Rubio y Azul.